EP-4739414-A1 - FLUID DISTRIBUTOR AND METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING FLUID

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fluid or liquid distributor and to a method of distributing fluids or liquids employing a distributor. The distributor may be employed in an evaporation or condensing unit used in the treatment of a fluid. A fluid distributor (200) comprises a group or groups of at least two channels (210) arranged in a plane, the plane being orthogonal to an axis of the distributor which in use extends substantially vertically. Each channel is continuous and comprises a base (211) and two upstanding side walls (212, 213). The channels may comprise concentric rings. Each channel is spaced from the adjacent channel by an aperture (230) through the distributor. Fluid supplied to the channel is able to flow over one or both side walls and fall from the distributor. Each channel is connected to the adjacent channel by a bridge section (220) configured to provide fluid communication between the channels and to distribute fluid to the channels. Notches (214) and projections (215) may be provided to enable optimization of the droplet size and distribution.

Inventors

• SINGH, NITYALENDRA
• HARVEY, ANDREW

Assignees

• LAT Water Limited

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240705

Claims (1)

1. ^ Claims^ ^ 1.^ A^fluid^distributor,^comprising:^ a^group^of^at^least^two^channels^arranged^in^substantially^the^same^plane,^the^^ plane^being^orthogonal^to^an^axis^of^the^distributor^which^in^use^extends^substantially^ vertically,^^ wherein^each^channel^is^continuous^and^comprises^a^base^and^two^upstanding^ side^walls,^ wherein^each^channel^is^spaced^from^the^adjacent^channel^by^an^aperture^through^^ the^distributor,^each^channel^being^configured^such^that^fluid^supplied^to^the^channel^is^ able^to^flow^over^one^or^both^side^walls^and^fall^from^the^distributor,^and^ wherein^each^channel^is^connected^to^the^adjacent^channel^by^a^bridge^section^ configured^to^provide^fluid^communication^between^the^channels^and^to^distribute^fluid^ to^the^channels.^ ^ ^ 2.^ The^distributor^of^claim^1,^wherein^the^group^comprises^at^least^three^channels^ and^wherein^each^bridge^section^is^aligned^to^form^a^bridge^channel^connecting^all^ channels^of^the^group.^ ^ ^ 3.^ The^distributor^of^claim^2,^further^comprising^a^plurality^of^bridge^channels.^ ^ 4.^ The^distributor^of^claim^1,^wherein^bridge^sections^connecting^different^channels^ of^the^group^are^offset^from^each^other.^ ^ ^ 5.^ The^distributor^of^any^preceding^claim,^wherein^each^channel^is^substantially^ circular.^ ^ 6.^ The^distributor^of^claim^2^or^3,^wherein^each^channel^is^substantially^circular^and^ wherein^the^one^or^more^bridge^channels^extend^radially.^ ^ ^ 7.^ The^distributor^of^claim^5^or^6,^wherein^the^channels^are^concentric.^ ^ ^ 8.^ The^distributor^of^any^preceding^claim,^wherein^the^channel^side^walls^have^an^ upper^edge^and^wherein^the^upper^edge^of^at^least^one^side^wall^of^each^channel^is^ provided^with^a^plurality^of^notches^spaced^around^the^circumference^of^the^channel.^ ^ ^ 9.^ The^distributor^of^claim^8,^wherein^both^side^walls^are^provided^with^notches.^ ^ 10.^ The^distributor^of^claim^8^or^9,^wherein^each^side^wall^is^provided^with^a^ projection^vertically^below^each^notch,^which^depends^downwardly^from^the^sidewall,^ configured^to^provide^a^location^for^the^fluid^flowing^from^the^notch^to^form^droplets^^ which^fall^from^the^distributor.^ ^ 11.^ The^distributor^of^claim^10,^wherein^the^projection^is^V^shaped.^ ^ 12.^ The^distributor^of^any^preceding^claim,^further^comprising^an^inlet^configured^to^^ supply^fluid^to^the^distributor.^ ^ 13.^ The^distributor^of^claim^12,^wherein^the^inlet^is^configured^to^supply^fluid^to^the^ distributor^from^above^the^distributor^in^use,^and^preferably^wherein^the^inlet^is^located^ below^the^level^of^the^upper^edge^of^the^channel^side^walls.^ ^ ^ 14.^ The^distributor^of^any^preceding^claim,^wherein^the^group^of^at^least^two^ connected^channels^is^a^first^group^of^connected^channels^and^the^distributor^further^ comprises^a^second^group^of^at^least^two^connected^channels,^wherein^the^first^group^ and^the^second^group^are^not^in^fluid^communication.^ ^ ^ 15.^ The^distributor^of^claim^14,^further^comprising^a^first^inlet^configured^to^supply^a^ first^fluid^to^the^first^group^of^connected^channels^and^a^second^inlet^configured^to^supply^ a^second^fluid^to^the^second^group^of^connected^channels.^ ^ ^ 16.^ The^distributor^of^claim^15,^wherein^the^first^fluid^and^the^second^fluid^are^the^ same^fluid.^ ^ ^ 17.^ The^distributor^of^claim^15,^wherein^the^first^fluid^and^the^second^fluid^are^ different^fluids.^ ^ 18.^ A^unit^for^evaporating^or^condensing^a^fluid^comprising^the^distributor^of^any^^ preceding^claim.^ ^ 19.^ Apparatus^for^evaporating^and^condensing^a^fluid^comprising^an^evaporating^unit^ and^a^condensing^unit,^wherein^each^unit^includes^the^distributor^of^any^of^claims^1^to^17.^ ^ ^ 20.^ A^method^of^distributing^fluid,^comprising^supplying^fluid^to^the^distributor^of^any^ preceding^claim^and^distributing^the^fluid.^ ^ 21.^ A^method^of^distributing^fluid^employing^the^distributor^of^any^of^claims^14^to^17,^ comprising:^ ^ supplying^a^first^fluid^to^the^first^group^of^connected^channels;^ supplying^a^second^fluid^to^the^second^group^of^connected^channels;^and^ distributing^the^fluids.^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Description

^ Fluid^Distributor^and^Method^of^Distributing^Fluid^ ^ Technical^Field^ ^ ^ The^present^invention^relates^to^a^fluid^or^liquid^distributor^and^to^a^method^of^ distributing^fluids^or^liquids^employing^a^distributor.^^^ ^ The^distributor^may^be^employed^in^an^evaporation^or^condensing^unit^used^in^the^ treatment^of^a^fluid.^^The^fluid^may^be^contaminated^and^the^treatment^may^comprise^^ reducing^or^removing^one^or^more^contaminants^from^the^fluid.^^An^example^of^a^ contaminated^fluid^is^water^contaminated^with^salts^and/or^solid^matter.^^Solid^matter^ may^be^present^if^the^fluid^is^from^an^anerobic^digester,^for^example.^ ^ The^distributor^may^be^employed^in^any^situation^where^a^distribution^of^droplets^of^fluid^^ is^required.^^For^example,^in^cooling^towers,^in^irrigation,^or^when^applying^chemicals^to^a^ surface,^such^as^the^application^of^fertilizer^or^the^application^of^an^industrial^surface^ finish.^ ^ Although^the^preferred^embodiment^described^below^relates^to^the^use^of^the^distributor^^ in^an^evaporation^or^condensing^unit^used^in^the^reduction^or^removal^of^one^or^more^ contaminants^from^a^fluid,^the^invention^is^not^to^be^construed^as^being^limited^to^this^ specific^application.^^^ ^ Background^ ^ ^ A^known^fluid^distributor^for^use^in^an^evaporation^or^condensing^unit^used^in^the^ treatment^of^a^fluid^is^disclosed^in^WO2015/114342^(Solaquagen^Limited).^^The^ distributor^comprises^two^concentric^circular^channels^with^a^separate^fluid^feed^pipe^to^ feed^fluid^from^underneath^to^each^channel.^^There^is^a^need^to^balance^the^flow^of^fluid^^ to^each^channel^to^take^into^account^the^relative^sizes/volumes^of^each^channel.^ ^ ^ Another^fluid^distributor^is^disclosed^in^US^6,722,639^(Ender^et^al.,^assigned^to^Koch^ Glitsch,^LP)^which^is^a^distributor^with^linear^channels.^^In^this^distributor,^debris^can^ accumulate^at^the^ends^of^the^channels^and^the^holes^in^the^sides^of^the^channels^may^ become^blocked.^ ^ ^ There^is^a^need^to^address^issues^with^prior^art^distributors.^^There^may^also^be^a^desire^to^ control^and^optimise^the^size^of^droplet^falling^from^the^distributor,^to^customise^the^ droplet^pattern,^and/or^to^optimise^the^distribution^of^droplets^per^unit^area.^^In^the^ context^of^a^thermal^evaporative^process,^a^more^uniform^distribution^of^droplets^may^^ help^to^reduce^the^energy^requirements^of^the^process.^^Controlling^the^droplet^size^and^ distribution^may^also^help^to^avoid^flooding^the^fragmentation^bodies^below^the^ distributor.^ ^ Summary^of^the^Invention^ ^ ^ In^accordance^with^a^first^aspect,^the^invention^provides^a^fluid^distributor,^comprising^a^ group^of^at^least^two^channels^arranged^in^substantially^the^same^plane,^the^plane^being^ orthogonal^to^an^axis^of^the^distributor^which^in^use^extends^substantially^vertically,^ wherein^each^channel^is^continuous^and^comprises^a^base^and^two^upstanding^side^walls,^^ wherein^each^channel^is^spaced^from^the^adjacent^channel^by^an^aperture^through^the^ distributor,^each^channel^being^configured^such^that^fluid^supplied^to^the^channel^is^able^ to^flow^over^one^or^both^side^walls^and^fall^from^the^distributor,^and^wherein^each^ channel^is^connected^to^the^adjacent^channel^by^a^bridge^section^configured^to^provide^ fluid^communication^between^the^channels^and^to^distribute^fluid^to^the^channels.^^ ^ Each^channel^is^continuous,^which^means^that^there^is^no^end^or^stop^in^the^channel.^^For^ example,^a^linear^channel^is^not^continuous^as^the^channel^stops^at^each^end.^^In^effect,^ the^fluid^is^able^to^circulate^around^the^channel^in^a^loop.^^The^shape^or^path^of^the^ channel^(in^plan^view)^may^be^any^suitable^shape^for^the^application,^for^example^circular,^^ oval,^rectangular,^square^or^irregular.^ ^ ^ The^at^least^two^channels^making^up^the^group^are^arranged^in^substantially^the^same^ plane,^which^may^generally^be^the^horizontal^plane^in^use.^^This,^combined^with^each^ channel^being^continuous,^effectively^requires^that^the^channels^lie^one^inside^the^other.^^ There^may^be^a^central^channel,^which^is^the^smallest^in^terms^of^a^width^dimension^in^^ plan^view,^and^one^or^more^channels^will^be^positioned^outside^and^around^the^central^ channel,^each^one^being^progressively^larger^in^width^than^its^inner^adjacent^channel.^^ The^channels^of^the^group^may^be^considered^to^be^nested.^^The^channels^may^have^the^ same^centre,^and^may^be^concentric,^but^this^does^not^imply^that^the^channels^are^ circular,^although^a^group^of^concentric,^circular^channels^is^one^preferred^arrangement.^^ ^ A^channel^in^the^group^is^connected^to^the^adjacent^channel^in^the^same^group^by^a^ bridge^section^which^is^configured^to^provide^fluid^communication^between^the^channels.^^ The^bridge^section^effectively^crosses^the^aperture^between^the^adjacent^channels.^^ Therefore,^the^aperture^between^two^channels^is^divided^into^aperture^sections^by^the^^ bridge^section.^^More^than^one^bridge^section^may^be^provided^between^adjacent^ channels,^and^the^aperture^will^be^divid